Mechanical properties of bone tissues with greatly differing functions

Currey, J. D.

Affiliations

¹Department of Biology, University of York, York, Y01 5DD, England

Abstract

The mechanical properties of three types of bone: deer's antler, cow's femur and fin whale's tympanic bulla, are compared. The antler has a very high work of fracture, the bulla a very low one. The bulla has a very high modulus of elasticity, the antler a low one. The cow's femur is the strongest in bending, the bulla is very weak. It is shown how these mechanical properties, which are associated with markedly different amounts of mineralization, nicely suit the bones for their differeing functions.

Links

DOI: 10.1016/0021-9290(79)90073-3

PubMed: 468855

WoS: A1979GV42500008

History

Received: 1978-08-25

Cited Works (9)

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Cited By (66)

Year	Entry
1984	Currey JD. Effects of differences in mineralization on the mechanical properties of bone. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. February 13, 1984;304(1121):509-518.
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2002	Currey JD. Bones: Structure and Mechanics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 2002.
1990	Currey JD. Function and form of bone. In: Mow VC, Ratcliffe A, Woo SL-Y, eds. Biomechanics of Diarthrodial Joints. Vol 2. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag; 1990:3-30.
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1989	Currey JD, Pond CM. Mechanical properties of very young bone in the axis deer (Axis axis) and humans. J Zool. May 1989;218(1):59-67.
1997	Zioupos P, Currey JD, Casinos A, De Buffrénil V. Mechanical properties of the rostrum of the whale Mesoplodon densirostris, a remarkably dense bony tissue. J Zool. 1997;241(4):725-737.
1998	Zioupos P. Recent developments in the study of failure of solid biomaterials and bone: “fracture” and “pre-fracture” toughness. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. September 1998;6(1):33-40.
1994	Zioupos P, Currey JD, Sedman AJ. An examination of the micromechanics of failure of bone and antler by acoustic emission tests and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Med Eng Phys. May 1994;16(3):203-212.
2011	Bonney H, Colston BJ, Goodman AM. Regional variation in the mechanical properties of cortical bone from the porcine femur. Med Eng Phys. May 2011;33(4):513-520.
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